Assessing Quality Dimensions and Elements of Online Learning

important elements which promote quality online learning environments have been
omitted (Novak, 2002). Although the benchmarks allow for institutions to compare
online programs based on certain criteria, they do little to inform institutions on what
elements are necessary for improvement (Bers, 2006). Meyer (2002) suggests that each
institution use these guidelines and benchmarks as resources to develop their own quality
measures to fit their own needs.
Meyer (2002) recommends that when defining quality the predominant focus
should be on student learning in conjunction with the variables that contribute to learning.
This notion of quality learning results in a focus on interactions between student and
faculty, student and peers, interactions between student and content, multiple paths to
learning, attention to students’ learning styles, inclusion of experiences that lead students
to construct and reflect on meaning, and opportunities for students to experiment with
their understandings in new situations (Meyer, 2002). A significant body of research on
students’ perceptions about their online learning experiences supports these variables as
elements which contribute to learning in online environments.
Interaction is an essential element in online learning environments and is
considered on four levels: learner-instructor, learner-learner, learner-content, and learner-
interface (Hillman, Willis, & Gunawardena, 1994; Moore, 1989). The importance of
interaction in successful online learning experiences from the perspective of students is
well-established in the literature.
• Elements of learner-instructor interactions found to influence students’
perceptions about their learning include teaching presence, instructor’s value
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